Poetry anthology

Two Pantoum Poems

Take Notice

Is it? It's so easy to hide from the world?
Pull down the curtains and tie them shut.
Will anyone take notice?

Pull down the curtains and tie them. Shut
Out. Leave behind all the others.
The laughter. The snickers. The judging.
No one will notice it.

Out! Leave behind all the others.
No one seems to care.
No one will. Notice it,
Is it? It's so easy to hide from the world













Just Another Memory

On that day you forgot about me,

I became just another memory.

I tried to come across as carefree,

Darkness attacked and left me empty.

I became just another memory,

Lost in the wakes that rippled rapidly over my head.

Darkness attacked and left me empty,

Searching for hope as distrust spread.

Lost in the wakes. Water rippled rapidly over my head,

Forever trapped under fear of being left behind.

Searching for hope as distrust spread.

When it came to me, you must have been blind.

Forever trapped under fear of being left behind,

I tried to come across as carefree.

When it came to me? You must have been blind,

On that day you forgot about me.
 

My poems entitled "Take notice" and "Just Another Memory" were both pantoum poems written in response to an example poem that we reviewed in class. We were just looking at a new format for a poem in which some of the lines are repeated but the punctuation can be changes around. While writing these poems, I was inspired to talk about the feeling of being alone because that' something that everyone can relate to at least once in their life. This poem was meant to show how people feel about being alone and left behind.

Descriptive Pros story with a picture and video

Final Minutes

    I constantly tap my finger against my knee, I can’t contain the adrenaline. Excitement races through my body like blood. With my dad sitting next to me I feel like a rookie, he silently sits there not affected by this special moment. I’m just a child who cannot master the art of sitting still.

As the sun sets, I lay outside with my dad on the dew covered grass waiting to see my first shooting star. The darkness slowly began to eat away at the sunlight until nothing was left. The only source of light is from the vibrant, glowing specs in the sky. The stars make it look as if the sky is a city with thousands of little twinkling lights rich with color. The sky has transformed into a masterpiece that left me in awe, its perfection draws my attention. Seconds, minutes, hours. I don’t even know how long I’ve been outside, just that the sky’s beauty has me in a deep trance.

I get my hopes up at every slight movement in the sky. It looks like every plane is out tonight making a point to fly over my head just to laugh at the racing speed of my heart because I believe it might be that one shooting star I desperately wait to see.  The process of waiting and not knowing if I might actually get to see that one shiny star racing across the sky is what kills my patience. The saying, “Seeing is believing” really has effect over me tonight. My dad keeps telling me magical things like to take people by surprise so they are special and not just ordinary.

The chirping of the crickets and the croaking of the frogs drown out everything. All the animals are all too busy scampering around to stop and gaze up at the sky. Perhaps they see shooting stars too often to care about such a beautiful thing. Maybe to the animals such a magnificent beauty has become an ordinary sight.

Boredom slowing begins to seep into my skin like water to a sponge. My dad just laughs at me, he does not see the excitement I see in the rarity of a star. It is a shame that the shooting stars have decided not to reveal their beauty to me tonight.

As we walk back to the car disappointed, I take one last glance at the sky while a long and drawn out sigh escapes from my lips. Then, just as I was about to look down, the largest and brightest star in the sky began its journey racing towards the other side of the horizon followed by a glowing streak.

It's crazy how one of the prettiest things in nature is only visible for a split second. It all happened so fast, a sudden blink would have intercepted my ability to see the shooting star light up the night as it danced across the sky. The sighting of this shooting star has shown me the beauty of the sky that is not always revealed to the viewer at first glance.

 https://youtu.be/dY_4e8hw49I

Picture URL

Outside reading book report

An Ember In The Ashes

 

By: Sabaa Tahir

Rating of book: 10

Summary: This novel takes place in the Martial Empire, but it’s a place where scholars are known as rebels. Unless you’re loyal to the Empire, you will be hunted down and slaughtered by the highly trained masks. It is not a safe world, you can’t trust anyone. Laia is a slave. Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother, her parents and sister were discovered to be part of a rebellion and were murdered. Laia’s brother is arrested for treason and she finds herself with nowhere to go. She has two choices, ask for the rebels help and be forced to spy in return, or leave her brother for dead.

    Elias is a soldier within the empire, he’s training to become a mask. He is the school's finest soldier, but he is also the most unwilling. Elias wants nothing to do with the Empire, he wishes only to be free of the harsh conditions he’s forced to endure.

    Elias and Laia eventually meet. They soon discover that they will need each other if they want to escape the world they feel trapped in.

First prompt:

    If I were Laia, I would never have had the bravery that she did. When her brother is caught with his sketchbook and the masks come, Laia only worries about her family. Although she is definitely scared, she holds herself together in attempt to be strong for her brother. Laia never gives up in her fight to rescue her brother and I admire that. I have to hope that if I were in a similar position I could be as strong as she is.

    I think that a prequel would be a really good idea for this book. While it isn’t exactly necessary to understand what is going on, it would allow the reader to see more of what started the hated new Empire. I think that many readers would be interested in getting more information from Sabaa Tahir because her book is so attention grabbing that it left everyone hooked. This book is not one that takes you forever to read, it’s something that you carry around all day in attempt to sneak read a few words whenever possible.

Second Prompt:

A minor character who has a major role in the story is Izzi. When Laia is sent to spy on the Empire as a slave, she has no friends. She meets another slave named Izzi who goes out of her way to help Laia even though it could cost her life. Laia has never had a friend before, so Izzi’s kindness means the world to Laia. Izzi is a constant source of what Laia might call a family, they protect each other from the harsh punishments they receive as slaves.

Izzi is considered a minor character because she isn’t one to call the shots. She can be found hiding in the shadows, yet she is always trying to finds ways to help. She isn’t someone who would have the courage to lead a rebellion, but you can bet she would be a huge difference maker. Izzi is a very loyal friend to Laia, she saves her life more than a few times. Izzi represents more than just a slave to Laia.

Third prompt:

    I gave this book a ten because I absolutely loved the story. Sabaa Tahir kept the intensity high throughout the entire novel and I couldn’t put the book down. The novel consisted of a perfect mixture between action and romance. The story was unique too, it was different than anything I’ve ever read before. Plus, the novel has life lessons that could be applied to anyone’s life, whether it is fictional or not.

        I loved how Tahir made me feel as if I was actually a part of the story. She gave the book so much life and emotion that it seemed real. During the battle scenes my heart might have been about ready to explode. There was so much detail in everything she wrote that I got a clear picture in my head. If they ever make a movie out of it, it won’t be hard to replicate her plot. The characters are amazing as well. They are emotional, loving, adventurous, and everything else that one could want in fiction novel. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Ohio Learning Standards

1. (12th grade) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.